Family Trip

We had a wonderful trip to the White Mountains. There are so many beautiful areas up here. We visited Storyland, a children's Amusement park, and Clark's Trading Post, a family owned park, featuring a live bear show, a train ride, and lots of interesting attractions such as bumper boats, rock climbing walls, and antiques. We went with close friends of ours and had an amazing time. We always have so much fun with them. We are heading up to the Green Mountains tomorrow to camp for a few days, just the four of us. The boys love to be outdoors, especially when they get to sleep in a tent. I will have new pics to post early next week. Hope everyone has a blessed weekend.

White Mountains

To my Dad

Hope you feel better soon Daddy.
I Love you!!!

To My Big Brother

Happy Birthday John!!!

Tractor ride with Pap Pap

One of Noah's favorite things to do when we come home is to ride on the tractor with Pap Pap. However, Nate was less than thrilled as you can tell by his face. Pap Pap must of been driving too crazy for him!

HOME

We have just returned from a trip back "home". What a wonderful time we had. A whole week packed full of family, I couldn't of asked for more, except for maybe a few more days to hang out with the gang. I loved watching Noah and Nate with their cousins. The goodbyes never get any easier, I don't know why I expected them too. However, Jared and I really are very thankful for where God has the four of us right now, knowing we are in His hands. I'm learning patience and contentment, two things that haven't come very easy for me. God has taught me so much about who He has called me to be. I am a work in progress, I have so much growing to do. This is truly a learning experience, and although it can be difficult at times, I can honestly say that I have no regrets of the decision we made to move up here. We really miss our family, and going home reminds us of exactly why we miss them so much. I get a surge of memories that flood my mind while I'm there. I am thankful for where I am from, and that I can go back to that place, and not a whole lot has changed.
While working on this blog, I ran into a challenge. You see, I took over 1000 pictures while we were home, and I am having a little trouble picking out the ones I want to post on this site. (Yes it's 1000, I didn't type in an extra zero by accident) Plus I still need to get permission from other family members that are in the pics other than my kids before I can post them. Yes, photography is an obsession for me. Jared is praising God that we went digital!
Enjoy viewing some of the memories that we made. I will be posting more over the next several days to truly get a feel for the joy we experience being home.

"Cow"boys

Everyone back home knows where this picture has been taken, and we have all rode the cows......some just don't like to admit it.

Enjoying the River

We had a great time up at the river....brought back some memories.

Bring on the Rain!

A little bit of rain doesn't stop my two boys from enjoying their time outside. They love to play in the rain, and I love watching them.......looks like fun, sometime I might just join them.....why not!

A walk in the clouds

I love this pic of Jared and the boys, there's something special about it to me. I felt very moved when I took this shot, feeling so blessed to have these three in my life. The boys are growing so fast, it's amazing. In this pic Jared let's them go on ahead first, but he is still close behind them, watching over them. As they get older, they will go further and further ahead of us traveling through life's journey. We may be at a distant, they need room to grow and experience life, but we will always be behind them.

Happy Father's Day

Here's Jared and his boys. I hope that both Noah and Nate will one day realize how blessed they are to have the father that they have. This pic was taken at "Jockey's Ridge, NC" Huge sand dunes, great place to fly a kite, what an awesome site. (Notice that I dressed them all alike...I know I'm a dork!)

Daddy's Monkey

I will have to admit that Nate is a bit of a Daddy's boy. "Da Da", is the only word he says. He loves his Daddy so much, you can see it in his face when he sees Daddy walk in the door from work, he runs right into his arms. He even loves to wrestle with him already at this age.

Tent City

My "three" boys, enjoying their club house, as Noah calls it. I remember building these with my little sister in our living room when I was a little girl. Yes, I'm all grown up, but I have to admit; these little homemade tents are still fun for me. The excitement and energy the boys had when they got to go in the tent must of rubbed off on me, because after crawling inside, we sat and giggled, and for a few brief moments, I felt like a little kid again. Then the boys kicked me out, no girls allowed I guess!

Grandma's boys

My Mom loves all of her grandkids so much. And of course all 9 of her grandkids adore their Grandma. My Mom is someone who we all enjoy being around, it has always been like that. She is a very special person to so many people. Noah and Nate had a wonderful time with their Grandma. Noah was so excited when he saw Grandma's car pull in our driveway, it brought tears to my eyes to see his excitement, how he ran to her car and jumped into her arms. I knew how he felt, I wanted to do the same but I would have knocked her to the ground, so I just gave her a big hug. Thank you Mom for driving all this way, it has meant more than you'll ever know.

I love my Mom

My Mom left this morning..... I am still teary eyed. I had such a wonderful visit with her. I am reminded of why I miss her so much when I am around her. As soon as she got out of her car after arriving, a special feeling overwhelmed me. I miss her hugs and her kisses, and of course her laugh. I am grateful that I had this past week to spend with someone I love so much. Saying goodbye is sooooooooooo hard. God gives me strength to pull myself together and smile, being thankful for the woman God blessed me with as my Mother.